Word Meanings - CONSTRAIN - Book Publishers vocabulary database

constringere; con- + stringere to draw tight. See Strain, and. cf. 1. To secure by bonds; to chain; to bond or con He binds in hains The droway prophet, and his limbs constrains. Dryden. When winter frosts constrain the fields with old. Dryden.

Additional info about word: CONSTRAIN

constringere; con- + stringere to draw tight. See Strain, and. cf. 1. To secure by bonds; to chain; to bond or con He binds in hains The droway prophet, and his limbs constrains. Dryden. When winter frosts constrain the fields with old. Dryden. 2. To bring into a narrow compass; to compress. How the strait stays the slender waist constrain. Gay. 3. To hold back by force; to restrain; to repress. My sire in caves constrains the winds. Dryden. 4. To compel; to force; to necessiate; to oblige. The love of Christ constraineth us. 2. Cor. v. 14. I was constrained to appeal unto CActs xxviii. 19. 5. To violate; to ravish. Shak. 6. To produce in such a manner as to give an unnatural effet; as, a constrained voice. Syn. -- To compel; force; drive; impel; urge; press.

Possible synonyms: (Same meaning words of CONSTRAIN)

• Coerce
• Restrain
• inhibit
• impel
• compel
• drive
• counteract
• check
• constrain
• force
• confine
• intimidate
• Compel
• Force
• oblige
• necessitate
• make
• coerce
• bind
• Oblige
• benefit
• favor
• accommodate
• gratify
• Oppress
• Burden
• grind
• weigh down
• persecute
• aggrieve
• maltreat
• abuse
• overbear
• Press Urge
• crowd
• squeeze
• crush
• compress
• express
• hurry
• instigate
• inculcate
• impress
• throng
• encroach
• lean
• weigh
• harass

Possible antonyms: (opposite words of CONSTRAIN)

• Loose
• liberate
• instigate
• accelerate
• license
• indulge
• allow
• abet
• Learn
• be impressed
• be studious
• be mindful

Related words: (words related to CONSTRAIN)

• CHECKWORK
  Anything made so as to form alternate squares lke those of a checkerboard.
• FORCE
  To stuff; to lard; to farce. Wit larded with malice, and malice forced with wit. Shak.
• ENCROACHER
  One who by gradual steps enters on, and takes possession of, what is not his own.
• COUNTERACTIVE
  Tending to counteract.
• GRINDSTONE
  A flat, circular stone, revolving on an axle, for grinding or sharpening tools, or shaping or smoothing objects. To hold, pat, or bring one's nose to the grindstone, to oppress one; to keep one in a condition of servitude. They might be ashamed,
• INHIBITORY
  Of or pertaining to, or producing, inhibition; consisting in inhibition; tending or serving to inhibit; as, the inhibitory action of the pneumogastric on the respiratory center. I would not have you consider these criticisms as inhibitory. Lamb.
• CONFINER
  One who, or that which, limits or restrains.
• GRINDLE STONE
  A grindstone.
• FAVOR
  Partiality; bias. Bouvier. 9. A letter or epistle; -- so called in civility or compliment; as, your favor of yesterday is received. 10. pl. (more info) L. favor, fr. favere to be favorable, cf. Skr. bhavaya to further, foster, causative of bhBe.
• GRINDLET
  A small drain.
• RESTRAINABLE
  Capable of being restrained; controllable. Sir T. Browne.
• HARASS
  To fatigue; to tire with repeated and exhausting efforts; esp., to weary by importunity, teasing, or fretting; to cause to endure excessive burdens or anxieties; -- sometimes followed by out. harassed with a long and wearisome march. Bacon. Nature
• ALLOWEDLY
  By allowance; admittedly. Shenstone.
• OBLIGER
  One who, or that which, obliges. Sir H. Wotton.
• COUNTERACT
  To act in opposition to; to hinder, defeat, or frustrate, by contrary agency or influence; as, to counteract the effect of medicines; to counteract good advice.
• ALLOW
  allocare to admit as proved, to place, use; confused with OF. aloer, fr. L. allaudare to extol; ad + laudare to praise. See Local, and cf. 1. To praise; to approve of; hence, to sanction. Ye allow the deeds of your fathers. Luke xi. 48. We commend
• DRIVEL
  To be weak or foolish; to dote; as, a driveling hero; driveling love. Shak. Dryden. (more info) 1. To slaver; to let spittle drop or flow from the mouth, like a child, idiot, or dotard. 2. Etym:
• DRIVE
  To dig Horizontally; to cut a horizontal gallery or tunnel. Tomlinson. 7. To pass away; -- said of time. Chaucer. Note: Drive, in all its senses, implies forcible or violent action. It is the reverse of to lead. To drive a body is to move it by
• CHECKREIN
  1. A short rein looped over the check hook to prevent a horse from lowering his head; -- called also a bearing rein. 2. A branch rein connecting the driving rein of one horse of a span or pair with the bit of the other horse.
• CROWD
  1. To push, to press, to shove. Chaucer. 2. To press or drive together; to mass together. "Crowd us and crush us." Shak. 3. To fill by pressing or thronging together; hence, to encumber by excess of numbers or quantity. The balconies and verandas
• CALLOW
  1. Destitute of feathers; naked; unfledged. An in the leafy summit, spied a nest, Which, o'er the callow young, a sparrow pressed. Dryden. 2. Immature; boyish; "green"; as, a callow youth. I perceive by this, thou art but a callow maid. Old Play .
• HALLOW
  To make holy; to set apart for holy or religious use; to consecrate; to treat or keep as sacred; to reverence. "Hallowed be thy name." Matt. vi. 9. Hallow the Sabbath day, to do no work therein. Jer. xvii. 24. His secret altar touched with hallowed
• THRYFALLOW
  To plow for the third time in summer; to trifallow. Tusser.
• COUNTER WEIGHT
  A counterpoise.
• SALLOWISH
  Somewhat sallow. Dickens.
• REINFORCEMENT
  See REëNFORCEMENT
• HOTPRESSED
  Pressed while heat is applied. See Hotpress, v. t.
• WALLOWER
  A lantern wheel; a trundle. (more info) 1. One who, or that which, wallows.
• DEFORCEOR
  See DEFORCIANT